Bumaba ako mula sa motor niya nang makarating sa Bluewater Resort. Hinubad ko ang helmet at inabot 'yon sa kan'ya.

"Thank you."

Kinuha niya sa akin 'yon saka ngumiti. "Uhm, hanggang kailan ka rito?"

Tumingin ako sa kan'ya nang nagtataka. "Bakit?"

He shrugged. "Wala naman. I just . . . want to know? Baka may maitulong ako sa 'yo sa lugar na 'to. Baka may gusto kang puntahan na alam ko. I can be your tour guide here."

Wow, that's tempting, huh?

I smiled. "Three days lang ako rito."

He nodded before scratching his nape. "Uhm, ang bilis naman yata? Hindi ka ba mabibitin?"

I shrugged. "See you when I see you, I guess?"

Bumaba siya ng motor tsaka tumayo sa harap ko. "Uhm, mag-check in na rin ako habang nandito ka."

Napakunot ang noo ko nang dahil do'n. "Bakit?"

He chuckled. "Hindi ako taga-Panglao."

"Bakit nandito ka?"

He shrugged again before holding his camera. "Namamasyal lang din."

Napatango na lang ako bago tumingin sa loob. "Wala kang dalang gamit?"

Umiling siya. "Marami namang mura na tinda d'yan. P'wede na siguro 'yon. Three days lang naman."

Tumango na lang ako bilang tugon. I cleared my throat. "Uhm, pasok na ako. Mag-book ka na lang sa front desk if you're really checking in."

Tumango siya bago ako pinaunang pumasok sa loob. Naiwan siya sa front desk, nakikipag-usap sa clerks para sa accommodation niya. I don't really know him but he looked nice. He even offered to tour me here.

Though, it may be scary to trust a stranger, but I can really feel that he's nice. Maybe one of the reasons why he's being nice is because I caught him taking photos of me. Baka ito yung pambawi niya do'n.

Nang makarating ako sa room ko, hinubad ko ang suot na damit bago pumasok sa bathroom para maligo. I want to drink in the poolside bar. Mukhang okay naman dito. Maliit na bar lang siya pero tingin ko naman, p'wede na. Hindi rin naman marami yung nandoon dahil ang karamihan ay nasa lounger—kung hindi naman, mga nagsi-swimming.

I wore a black bikini topped with see-through cover up since I'm planning to swim after I drink something. I rolled my hair up into a bun, then I'm ready to go.

Pagkalabas ko ng room, nakita ko yung lalaking photographer na tumayo sa kinauupuan niya kanina bago lumapit sa akin.

"Oh, bakit nandito ka?" tanong ko.

He shrugged. "I just . . . want to accompany you, I guess?"

Bahagya na lang akong ngumiti bilang tugon. Ilang sandali pa, naglahad siya ng kamay, dahilan para mapatingin ako nang mabuti sa kan'ya.

"I'm Marc Grayson," he introduced. "You can call me Marc, or Grayson. Or Gray. Whatever you want." He smiled, making his dimple become visible.

I gulped as I looked at his hands. Bahagya akong nagbuntonghininga bago tinanggap ang kamay niya, tsaka nag-angat ulit ng tingin sa kan'ya.

"Ruth Summer." I looked away. "You can call me Ruth."

He chuckled slightly before we let go of each other's hand. "I prefer Summer."

Napakunot-noo ako nang dahil do'n. "And why?"

He shrugged with a playful smile on his lips before holding the lens of his camera. "I love summer."

I was about to talk when he took a photo of my face!

"Hey!"

He smiled before showing me the photo. "Look at you. Ang ganda mo kahit na anong facial expression ang mayro'n ka."

I almost rolled my eyes at how he said those words. Ang dali lang mag-compliment ng babae para sa mga lalaki, 'no? I sighed before I looked at the photo. Nagulat pa ako nang makitang . . . it's not really bad for a stolen shot, huh? Kung si Enzo ang kumuha, paniguradong mataba akong tingnan sa picture. Pero sa kuha niya, mukha lang akong gulat pero ang ganda pa rin tingnan.

"Wow," I simply said.

He chuckled. "So, naniniwala ka na?"

Tumango ako bilang tugon bago ibinalik ang tingin sa kan'ya. "I'm going to the poolside bar. Wanna come?"

He smiled. "Sure."

He led the way to the poolside bar. We weren't talking to each other. We're both silent until we arrived in the mini bar but that silence doesn't feel suffocating . . . or awkward. It feels kind of . . . comforting.

"What do you want to drink?" he asked as soon as we arrived at the bar counter.

Humalukipkip ako bago humawak sa baba, nag-iisip. "I want a cocktail sana but . . ." I looked at him. "Can we get a Tequila agad?"

He chuckled. "Wow. Sure."

Right after I said that, siya na ang nag-order ng iinumin namin. Ilang sandali pa, binigyan kami ng bartender ng isang bote ng Jose Cuervo and two shot glass. Grayson opened the bottle of Tequila and pour our shot glass with it.

"Thanks," I said after he gave me the glass.

"Welcome." Nakipag-cheers siya sa akin na malugod ko namang tinanggap. "So, why are you alone here?" he asked before drinking his first shot.

Ininom ko ang laman ng shot glass ko na mabilis na nagpalukot ng mukha ko dahil sa lasa nito. Nang maibaba ang baso, saka lang ako sumagot.

"As I've said, namamasyal ako."

The grimace on my face stayed for a few more seconds. Matagal-tagal na rin akong hindi nakakainom ng Tequila. It's been a few months, kaya naman ganito na lang ako kung maka-react ngayon.

"Bakit ka mag-isa?" tanong niya habang nagsasalin ng panibagong shot.

I sighed before giving him a small smile. "Hindi naman dapat palaging may kasama."

Napanguso siya bago tumango nang bahagya. "Sabagay, tama ka naman."

Tinitigan ko ang shot glass ko na ngayon ay may laman na ulit. "Ikaw? Bakit ka mag-isa dito?"

He chuckled. "Lagi naman akong mag-isa. I'm just roaming around the place, looking for something that will make the money I bought this camera worth it."

I looked at the camera in front of him. "Why? Okay naman ang mga shots na pinakita mo sa akin kanina, ah?"

He smiled. "That's because you look good in every angle. Hindi talaga ako magaling na photographer. Marunong lang."

I chuckled slightly. "Grabe ka naman sa sarili mo. You're great, I know. Don't belittle yourself."

"Hmmm . . . I'm not belittling myself. Hindi talaga ako magaling. I'm only learning."

Napatango na lang ako bago ininom ang shot ko. After that, lumingon ulit ako sa kan'ya. "What were you before you became a professional photographer?"

He smiled, looking away. "A father."

Napaawang ang bibig ko bago nag-iwas ng tingin. "Ahh . . . how's your child now? Ilang taon na siya?"

I heard him sigh. "Hindi ko alam. Dalawang taon ko na silang hindi nakikita ng mama niya." He looked at me with a smile on his face. "We're not on good terms because I'm an asshole."

Napanguso ako at hindi na nakapagsalita pa nang dahil do'n.

How bad would it feel kung sarili mong anak, hindi mo makasama? Bakit kaya siya iniwan ng babae kasama ang anak nila? What did he do? I want to know but I'm just a stranger that he met at the beach. It will be bad to ask for personal details.

"Ikaw? What were you before you arrived here?"

Napalingon ako sa kan'ya nang dahil do'n. Nakita ko siyang umiinom na ulit. Hindi ko alam kung pang-ilang shot na niya 'yon but it's definitely not only his third shot. Ang alak na laman ng baso ko ngayon ang magiging third shot ko pa lang!

Bilis naman nitong uminom.

"I was an employee. A writer of a known publisher here in the Philippines. I also edit the manuscripts of the books before i-print at i-distribute sa bookstores nationwide."

Umawang ang bibig niya sa paliwanag ko. "Wow! You've got a great job! So, you're on leave?"

I smirked before drinking the shot. After that, I answered him. "I resigned."

"Huh?" kunot-noo niyang tanong. "The way you explained your job earlier, you seem to love what you're doing. Why did you resign?"

I sighed before I asked him to pour my glass a shot. "You know, sa fiction world, mayroong disturbed and undisturbed world. Back in the days that I loved my job, it was my undisturbed world. Walang problemang mabigat, walang conflict na nagaganap, wala pang . . . makakapanakit sa akin. Kung mayroon man, madali na lang lutasin.

"Kaso, tulad ng sa napapanood natin sa TV or nababasa natin sa books, conflicts, problems and obstacles always come in character's life just when he or she thought that she's doing well. My disturbed world came, and I don't know what to do about it. Parang . . . nagkaroon ng tsunami. Nagkagulo-gulo." I chuckled before I drank my third shot.

"So . . . you're here to calm the effects of that tsunami in your life?" I smiled, nodding. "Then, while you're here, try to enjoy your trip and forget about what disturbed your undisturbed world. Make good memories here that will definitely last."

I chuckled. "Well . . . I guess I'm going to do that."

He smiled at me. "I'll help you here."

I laughed. "Ayaw ko, kaya ko na 'to."

Kinuha ko ang bote sa harap niya para salinan ang baso ko pero kinuha niya rin 'yon sa kamay ko at siya na ang nagsalin no'n. "Thanks . . ."

He looked at me with his serious eyes, telling me things I could not hear but probably understand.

"Accept my offer. I won't harm you. Gusto ko lang maging masaya ka sa ilang araw mo rito. I will do my best to . . . make you love here and think of it as your new . . . undisturbed world. Kahit . . . ilang araw lang. I promise you'll love it."

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin bago ininom ang laman ng baso.

For some reason, it feels like there's something inside me that's hurting. It's probably my heart because it's beating like crazy and I don't even know why.

I smiled and nodded in response.